frozen in a dream forever?
by katanious
Summary: When ichigo gives orihime a cold shoulder, orihime gets into a depressed state and is attacked by what she thought was a hollow. Her body is alive and healed thanks to hanataro, but her mind is frozen in a comatose state. Her friends all try to get her back, what will happen? Will she be the same when she's back? I guess its a ichimime story, in the long run :)
1. Chapter 1

Orihime looked at ichigo from her desk. He seemed distressed, and she could feel the tension radiating off of him

When the bell rang, tatsuki walked up to orihime and asked her is she wanted to come to her house.

" I'm sorry, tatsuki. I have something I have to do. Maybe tomorrow though!" Orihime said, and dashed out of the room, hoping to catch ichigo on the way out. Seeing him, she ran to catch up with him, and walked instep with him.

"Hey ichigo. How are you feeling today?" She asked, feeling those shy butterflies around him as usual.

"Orihime," ichigo said.

"Um yes? What is it?" She asked.

"Do me a favor and let me be alone for a little bit. I need some time to think" ichigo said, looking strait ahead.

" oh. I see. Well, that is, I guess I'll be going then-" orihime started to slow and turned around to walk away and slammed strait into uryuu.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" She said as she tried to hide her ashamed face and started to walk away from him. He caught her by the shoulder, and she stopped walking, her back to him.

"Look, I'm only saying this because I care about you as a friend, not that I give a damn how ichigo is feeling. Its got nothing to do with you, orihime. So don't let it upset you. Its not your fault. Ichigo is just going through a lot right now." Uryuu paused.

"Well, no one ever tells me what's going on." Orihime said with a slight snark.

"Its not that orihime-"

She turned around to face him. " no one ever tells me anything! They think that I'm too innocent to know. They're scared to tell me anything! I'm sick of it!" She yelled, and started to cry. Uryuu looked on, shocked at first, then orihime heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Its not like that orihime. Sometimes, we just... don't know how to tell you. But I can tell you this. What's going on with ichigo i can assure you is not your fault." Rukia said, from behind orihime.

"Rukia?" Orihime slowly turned around feeling the sadness slowly seep away for a second, happy to see her. But then anger and jealousy rose up, and she felt guilty for thinking this, but of course rukia knew how and why ichigo was feeling upset.

"I'm sorry, I must- I have to go." Orihime said. She lowered her head and sped walked past rukia and out of the building.

Halfway home, she felt it a few seconds before she saw it, a giant hollow, just fifteen feet away. It saw her and started for her.

Terrified and shock, orihime couldn't move. It had been so long since her last encounter with a hallow, and she had no means of protection besides her shun shun rikka to block her from any attack.

When it was about three feet away, her feet decided to move, but it was too late. It swung in a side arch and bashed her into a wall. She had the wind knocked out of her and was about to pass out when she heard her name.

"Orihime!" She heard ichigo's voice yell out, but the black was already starting to eat at her vision. She heard sounds of fighting, and soon felt strong arms lift her.

"Orihime. Please, please be alright. " ichigo said in a desperate voice.

"Ichi... go..." orihime struggled to say. "Why... are you... here?" She said, blood seeping out of her mouth.

" what kind of a question is that? I'm here to protect you." He said looking down at her, concerned.

" I can't... can't hold on... longer..." orihime coughed out along with some blood.

"Damn! Just hold on orihime!" Ichigo said and proceeded to use his flash step. With every second that passed by, he felt herself weaken, and soon she couldn't even open her eyes, and everything she heard was muffled.

She felt her weight shifted, then heard the soft but unmistakable voice of urahara.

" you dummy. Why did you just stand there?" He said, then everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Orihime opened her eyes to a white ceiling. Sitting up, she suddenly felt the sharpest of pains, and cried out.

"orihime! Lie back down your wounds will open!" She heard a voice and looked over to see renji, rukia, and hanataro sitting on her side.

"Good to see you're awake. Welcome back orihime." Rukia said to her.

Orihime tried to smile, but it turned out to more of a grimace, because of the pain.

As she looked at everyone's face, she recognized someone was missing.

"Hey, where's everyone?" Orihime asked, though she only wondered about one person.

"Well, kisuke is working with chad, and uryuu is attending class." Rukia said.

Orihime hesitated and then asked rukia "what about ichigo?"

"Look behind you, you idiot." Ichigos voice rung out, and orihime swung around, and looked directly into ichigos eyes.

"Ichigo..." orihime said, not knowing whether to laugh, cry, or both.

"Hey, don't get all teary. And lay back down, you're gonna open your wounds." Ichigo said, still looking at orihime. His voice was gruff, but she saw relief in his eyes.

Kisuke walked in, and paused, seeing that orihime was awake.

"Aah, so the princess finally woke up. That being said, rukia, renji, and hanataro, you're needed. Come with me." Kisuke addressed them.

Ichigo started to get up too, but kisuke stopped him. "Stay here. You're not needed." With that, all four of them walked off, leaving ichigo alone with orihime. Feeling his eyes on her back, she turned around, and almost smacked right into ichigos face.

"Hey. You should really relax. I wouldn't want those wounds to open up again." Ichigo said in a soft voice, a total change from the standoffish on he used earlier.

"O-okay." She stuttered over her words, and lied back down. It was quiet for a couple of minutes, and again she felt distress coming from him.

"What's wrong ichigo?" She said with closed eyes. She felt him jerk, then pause for a bit.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there in time." She could hear the despair in his voice.

"Stop it ichigo. Its my fault. I didn't move." She said, feeling her chest get heavy.

"No, its my fault. I let my emotions get in the way of protecting you. For that, I will never forgive myself." His voice sounded so sad, she felt the urge to cry.

Sitting up, she turned to face ichigo, with tears welling up in her eyes. He was looking down at the ground, but when she got up, he looked at her, the anguish in his eyes unbearable.

"Lay down, you're gonna open your-" he started to say but was cut off when orihime jumped forward and threw her arms around his waist. She felt her wounds tugging and opening, but none of that mattered to her.

"Orihime." Ichigo spoke her name, tinged with sadness but also... what was it? Desire?

"Ichigo, I felt so helpless. Something was bothering you, yet there wasn't a thing I could do! I was so caught up in my conflicting thoughts while walking home that I didn't even see the hollow

Coming before it was too late. Don't blame yourself ichigo." Orihime sobbed into his chest. She felt him start to caress her back, and the he grabbed her and embraced her. His hands tangled in her hair and she cried softly.

They stayed like that for a while, until ichigo broke the silence

"Hey, look at me." He said. She complied, and lifted her head up and suddenly he cupped her face and got really close. His lips were a ,ere inch from hers, his eyes unwavering.

"I'm sorry, but I've been wanting to do this since the day I met you." Ichigo said. And with that, he closed the distance between them.


	3. Chapter 3

Ichigo heard rukia's soul phone going off in his closet. Rukia jumped out, already in soul form, and looked at ichigo dumbfounded.

"Why aren't you moving? Ichigo, there's a hollow nearby..." rukia stated, and threw a napping con at ichigo. Ichigo caught the now awake and irate stuffed animal and stared down at it.

"Ichigo! What are you doing?" Rukia said, temper rising.

You can handle it on your own rukia. You don't need me to hold your hand." Ichigo said, and raised his arm, about to throw con when they both felt a disturbance in one of their friends spiritual pressure. It seemed distressed and... terrified.

"Orihime!" Rukia and ichigo simultaniously said, and ichigo shoved his hand into con, and quickly switched into a soul reaper.

"Hurry ichigo! Go ahead of me!" Rukia shouted as ichigo darted out of his window.

"Right, on it!" Ichigo shouted to her, and quickly zipped away into the evening. Rukia followed suit, wondering what the hell was wrong with ichigo. He has never once avoided a fight, and the way he was acting...

She knew he was upset that he couldn't save orihime from the arrancar uquiorra and his accomplice, but to be this beat up...

Suddenly she felt orihime's spiritual pressure almost drop completely, and then ichigo's spike.

"Damn it ichigo. See what happens when you hesitate?" Rukia scolded to herself.

A few minutes later, she arrived at the scene, and froze, stunned. A dead arrancar lay dead just several feet from a bleeding and half alive orihime in ichigos arms.

"Ichigo what happened?" Rukia said, alarmed, and started to move forward, when ichigo's forceful voice froze her in her place.

"Rukia, I need you to go to uraharas place right now and tell them what happened. And call the soul society to tell them what happened, and request back up from squad four." Ichigo said in a hurried voice.

Rukia, knowing she had no time to hesitate, grunted and sped away.

Once at uraharas place, bloody orihime on a matt, and a self distructive ichigo drug away by chad and renji, kisuke took control of the situation.

He gave everyone orders, ururu and jinta were to watch the shop and surrounding area for more arrancars, uryuu to help chad and renji stabilize the irate ichigo, tessai to attend to what he could to orihimes wounds, and finally rukia to contact the soul society.

After reporting what happened and requesting help from squad four, rukia stepped outside, hoping that jinta or ururu wouldn't notice her, and dashed away into the cool air.

Even from where she was, she could feel ichigos spiritual pressure. Not as wild as it was before, kind of labored, and slowing down.

"Ichigo, you dummy. Its not your fault." Rukia said to no one in particular. Then took a deep breath and slowed down, letting the cool air flow past her, like an invisible river, washing away the bad emotions, leaving her refreshed.

Once she headed back to uraharas place, everyone, even ichigo was sitting, waiting for her. She took a seat on the mat next to renji.

"Nice of you to join us. While you were away, little hanataro showed up, and is currently in there with orihime. He gave me an initial report on what he observed on orihime and well..." kisuke paused.

"What? What did he say?" Rukia said, and everyone else curiously leaned in to hear what he had to say.

"Well, as far as hanataro can tell, she's not going to die. She's stable enough and she's breathing alright." Kisuke said, and everyone all sighed in relief.

"But," kisuke said before anyone else could say anything.

"It seems she's in a dream-like state, and there is no telling for how long she will be like that, or how to get her out.

**To be continued. Thanks for reading so far, I promise, it only gets better and more intense :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Orihime sighed and put her head on ichigo's chest, feeling complete happiness from being in his arms. Ichigo was snoring, since after they kissed for a while, they cuddled up, and he fell asleep.

What am I gonna do ichigo?, she asked herself. She smiled as ichigo sighed loud in his sleep, and cuddled closer to him.

I like this. Its almost like a dream...

Suddenly yoruichi walked in and leaned up against the wall. She gave orihime quite a shock, but soon she recovered and gently slipped out of ichigos unconcious embrace, and followed yoruichi outside.

"Orihime. Glad to see that you are doing well. How are you feeling?" She asked arms crossed in her usual stance.

"I-im good. I hardly feel a pain at all, actually" she said shyly, and smiled. "All thanks to hanataro, and... ichigo..."

Yoruichi didn't say anything just studied her for a while. Then she spoke.

"Orihime, I have been sent here to relay an important message, but one you have to figure out on your own. Then I must go." She said, serious.

"Sent here? On my own? What do you mean?" Orihime said, confused and alarmed.

"Listen, for I can only say this once, and I cannot elaborate. Right now, watch your every step, for right now, everything is opposite as it seems. Tread carefully, and never let your guard down."

"What?!" Orihime said, eyes widening. "I don't get it."

Yoruichi stepped back, and started to disappear through the wall.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot say any more. Best of luck." She said as her purple hair vanished, leaving behind a very shocked and alarmed orihime.

"What?" Orihime cried softly sinking to her knees. What was going on? Surely there's more to what miss yoruichi said than it appears, but still... am I on my own? Is everything as she said, is it complete opposite than what meets the eye?

So confused and conflicted, orihime started to cry.

"Hey, why are you crying on the floor like that?" She heard ichigo say. She turned around and squeeked and feel back on her elbows.

For a second she saw a face almost exactly like the arrancar with the green eyes from before, but this one was different. He had bluish hair, and the mask only covered half of his cheek. He appeared to be laughing, in a very snide, over confident way.

But suddenly that image was gone, and there was a very concerned ichigo with an alarmed face, staring down at her.

"What? What is it orihime? Did you sense something?" Ichigo asked, kneeling down next to her.

Orihime tried to hide her shaking hands, as she shook her head.

"No, i-im fine. You just scared me, that's all." She said looking away from his frown.

"That doesn't explain why you're by yourself, crying on the floor." He said taking hold of her shoulder. When she flinched, he froze, then let his hand slide away.

"Well whatever it is, can you come back in here? I can't sleep well not knowing you're safe in my arms. Come with me, yeah?" Ichigo said, waiting for her response.

"I'll u mm... I'll be in in a second. Let me go u mm.. wash my face." Orihime said, and without another word, headed to the bathroom, where she splashed cold water on her face then dried it with a towel.

When she looked up into the mirror, she thought she saw everyone looking back at her with confused and concerned faces. But when she blinked, they weren't there.

"Just what is happening to me?" Orihime said, then took a deep breath and headed back to her room, thoroughly shaking

**Thanks for reading :) please R/R its much appreciated. I get my inspiration from my readers :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors notes: this is a long story, I know. I'm trying my best to wrap it up soon, so bare with me. And I'm sorry if it gets a little confusing, I tried /.\ please enjoy and remember to R/R**

Yoruichi opened her eyes, a movement that everyone in the room noticed. Kisuke was the first to speak.

"So did my invention work?" He asked.

Earlier he had given yoruichi a vial of liquid to yoruichi that separates the conscience from the body, not unlike when soul reapers leave their gigai, and enables you to enter other peoples minds. Its been a work in project for years now, but he finally found use of it.

At first yoruichi seemed disoriented, a little confused, but soon she regained her composure.

"Yes. I was able to enter her mind and saw what she was so called dreaming... but it was unlike anything I have ever seen before. Everything, and I mean everything was completely backwards... like she was living in a reflection of some sort." Yoruichi paused thoughtfully.

"Hmm... interesting. What was going on in her head yoruichi?" Kisuke asked, scratching his head.

"It seemed completely normal. Its like she woke up in that... parallel dimention or whatever it was, and it felt like she woke up in real life. I mean, for someone like her, I doubt she would notices the abnormalitles of the situation..." yoruichi stopped and kisuke finished her sentence.

"She thinks she's actually living in that world. She doesn't know its all an allusion..." kisuke said, still scratching his head.

"Okay einstin, what now? How do we save her?" Ichigo said impatiently.

"If we knew that, don't you think we'd be doing something about it ichigo? You just need to calm down and wait-" yoruichi started to say.

"I cant just sit here and wait patiently while she's trapped in her own mind. How do we even know she's safe?" Ichigo said in a raised voice.

"Are you kidding me? Have you not met the girl? She's more innocent than a grade schooler. I'm sure she'll be fine being trapped in her own mind for a while." Renji said, in a nonchalant tone.

"I would worry if you were stuck in your own head ichigo. No one knows what kind of disturbing things take place up there" uryuu added in a sarcastic tone.

"Hey, is that supposed to be an insult?"ichigo yelled at uryuu. "Id be more concerned about your own state of mind, you perverted freak." Ichigo taunted.

Uryuu's eye twitched as renji and hanataro stiffled laughter.

"Oh yeah? Who's the one who let con roam about, harassing the female student body, without a care in the world? Huh, kurosaki?" Uryuu said in a slightly snide tone.

Ichigo nearly fell over at that comment. "I didn't do that on purpose! He took my body against its will, I had nothing to do with it!" Ichigo yelled, pointing at uryuu.

Rukia sighed. "Guys, this is no time for blame games, alright? We need to find a way to save orihime, before it might be too late." She said in a calm but stern voice.

Yoruichi cleared her throat. " anyway. I was thinking, kisuke. What if the arrancars were behind this.?" She asked.

"You read my mind. Great minds really do think alike." Kisuke got up and leaned against the wall. " maybe it happened when she got attacked either today or their last encounter." He said to yoruichi.

She pondered this for a bit, as did everyone else. Then she finally said "that seems likely. Now we have to figure out just what did they do to her. " she said.

"Were back to square one again" rukia said, in all serious.

Everyone just sat there kind of thinking about what was said when hanataro spoke up.

"Umm... mister uragara, sir, but I just realized something." Hanataro addressed to kisuke.

"Go ahead, hanataro." He responded.

"Well, I was thinking. You know how you used that potion to get lady yoruichi to leave her conscienceness and into someone elses?" He started.

"Go on." Kisuke said, and everyone antisipated what hanataro was gonna say next.

" well what if the arrancars used that same basic technology and took orihime out of her body and trapped her somewhere else?" He said, and everyone looked at him with crossed eyes.

"Huh?" Renji and ichigo said. "I don't get it" rukia adds.

"Oh, I see what you're saying, hanataro, that's very insightful of you." Kisuke praised hantaro.

"Yes, I didn't even think about that" yoruichi commended.

"Will someone explain what the hell is going on here?" Ichigo growled.

"Basically, someone has, indeed trapped orihime in her mind. But they're controlling her somehow." Yoruichi calmly explained.

"Hey didn't you say everything felt opposite, like a reflection?" Rukia asked suddenly.

"Yeah... wait!" Yoruichi jolted as everyone in the room came to the same conclusion.

"That's it!" Uryuu said, perked up.

"A reflection, huh." Ichigo murmured.

"You know what that means, kisuke." Yoruichi said.

Kisuke knotted.

"A mirror."


	6. Chapter 6

Orihime winced as hanataro cleaned her wounds. Ichigo looked on, and tried to ignore orihime shirtless, with just bandages covering her chest.

Orhimime could tell ichigo was concerned, but she couldn't do anything, there wasn't much she could say. But whenever she tried to bring it up, he would get angry, telling her to drop it.

Just yesterday, she kept going on about it even though he told her to stop, and she saw pure anger flash through his eyes, and he gripped her arm hard, and she cried out.

"Ichi...go... stop, that hurts!" She said and gritted her teeth.

She sighed and looked up at ichigo. She could see that he was concerned, but there was something else. He felt different lately, something was off.

He wasn't acting himself. He was quick to anger and kept accidentally hurting her. Come to think of it, she thought to herself, its not just him. Rukia seemed to be way more loud and rowdy than usual, and all the others were acting strange too.

Just another sign she was losing her mind. She thought back to what Yoruichi told her.

"Listen, for I can only say this once, and I cannot elaborate. Right now, watch your every step, for right now, everything is opposite as it seems. Tread carefully, and never let your guard down."

Maybe she was thinking about it too much. She's losing her mind.

"Wait!" Orihime blurted out loud, to herself. Hanataro and ichigo both jumped, thinking something was wrong.

"What's wrong miss inoue?" Hanataro said, panicked.

"Orihime," bleach said.

"Oh, umm... its nothing. Just was talking to myself." Orihime said, embarassed that she thought out loud.

The two spectators looked on doubtfully, but said no more.

Orihime's mind was racing a million miles a minute. She realized that everything she's been seeing so far has been backwards, from personalities to paintings on the walls. It all made sense to orihime.

This has something to do with suske aizen, I'm sure, she thought to herself. Aizen must be controlling everyone like puppets on strings.

But wait! She jolted. She flashed back to when she saw ichigo in the hallway. She didn't see ichigo, she saw an espada!

Making this realization, she flicked her eyes to ichigo, who was looking at her facial expression as she was thinking, observing her.

Keep calm, orihime, she told herself. Now that she knows, she can't let on to ichigo. She had to remain calm, and naïve of the situation.

"What's wrong orihime? You look like you've seen a ghost." Ichigo said, sounding exactly like the ichigo she knows, but she can now see the differences in the two.

This ichigo carries around a superior greedy air around him, while the ichigo she knows walks around with a humble and caring air.

She smiled up at ichigo, and though it disgusted her, since hanataro finished bandaging her up she could move now, kissed Ichigo on the cheek.

"I'm fine, ichigo. Just a bit sore." She said, devising a plan.

She had to know. She had to find out if what she thinks is true.

"Hey ichigo, would you mind, maybe, going on a walk with me?" Orihime said, standing up and slipping into her shirt.

"Are you sure? What about your wounds?" He said. She supressed the urge to grimace in disgust. This... fake has ichigo down to a T. Even more the reason to do what she was planning to do.

"I'll be fine. Hanataro said I should get some air. But with all the horrible things that have been happening to me lately, I don't want to go by myself..." orihime said, but didn't have to fake cry, because the tears were already there, just not from what this ichigo was thinking.

"Sure, yes, I'll go. Just stop crying." He said and started walking to the door. "Well? Are you coming?" He said, sliding on his sandals. She followed suit, carefully hiding the dagger she borrowed in the waistband of her skirt.


	7. Chapter 7

(**Authors notes: in case it wasn't clear, this story takes place in the time period after aizen betrayed the soul society, but in this story, he doesnt kidnap orihime to get her to release The Hōgyoku, he just uses her as bait, but the fights with aizen, ulquiorra, and all the other arrancars still happen. Thus, the story isnt totallly changed. Just put that to clear any confusion.)**

"DAMNIT!" Ichigo yelled, and slammed his fist on the table. Everyone's dishes rattled, and they all gave him crazed looks.

"Ichigo, I know its frustrating, but calm down. Being reckless isn't going to get you there any faster. So just shut up and calm down." Yoruichi said, eyes squeezed shut in irritation.

" its really starting to piss me off, all this waiting around and planning. Why cant we just rush into hueco mundo and kill aizen and destroy this "mirror" that we think orihime is being controlled with?" Ichigo yelled, irritated beyond belief.

Renji snorted and rukia face palmed ichigo.

Uryuu growled and stood up. " you're so idiotic its unbelievable. Don't you think that's what all of us want to do? You think we can just waltz into hueco mundo and have a cup of casual tea and a friendly get together with aizen, and ask him for the mirror we're after? Hell, if it was that easy, I could go by myself. You're not considering the obstacles, all the fighting that will be in our way, and all the possible casualties we might be facing. You're such a simpleton, it astounds me."  
Uryuu said, a vein throbbing in his forehead.

Everyone went pen drop silent, even ichigo, and no one said or moved for many minutes.

"Well, you can sit down now, uryuu." Kisuke's voice was like a cannon in the silence. "Thank you for that speech, I'm sure we all wanted to put ichigo in his place." Kisuke said and everyone snickered and ichigo snarled.

" I have come up with a plan, and kisuke helped me. This involved very Elaborate thinking and devising so shut your mouths and pay attention." Yoruichi barked and everyone perked up.

"Okay, the first thing is, Yoruichi and I both decided that the mirror isn't in hueco mundo." Kisuke said nonchalantly.

"What?" Renji jerked forward.

"That's a pretty rash judgement..." uryuu left his sentence open.

"What the hell do you mean kisuke? What proof do you have?" Ichigo said in a no-nonsense grave tone.

Rukia and chad just sat there, wide and suspicious eyes on kisuke and Yoruichi.

"Listen, do you really think aizen is that stupid? He expects you to go rushing into hueco mundo, which is why he would never hide the mirror there. Knowing him and his love for mind games, he probably hid it right in our faces. Somewhere so obvious, we would never even think of it." Kisuke said, and everyone just kinda stared at him dumbfounded.

"Well... where do you suppose it would be?" Uryuu pondered, while the others sat in uncomfortable silence.

"I really don't know. That's where we drew a blank." Kisuke said.

Everyone started to input their ideas on the whereabouts of the mirror, but ichigo remained deathly silent. In fact, he couldn't even hear anyone over his own thoughts.

He couldn't let his friends risk their lives from his mistakes. Feeling this way, he decided he would leave at night, telling no one, only kisuke to open the garganta, the passage way to hueco mundo. He was going to face aizen on his own.

Ichigo stood abruptly, but no one paused in their conversations, just gave him a curious look as he walked into the next room over.

Orihime laid perfectly still. She looked so peaceful, you'd never guess the kind of nightmares she's facing in her world right then.

He slid the door closed, and sat on his knees at her side. He felt formal at first, because whether she knew it or not, orihime was usually in his place and he was usually in hers.

After a while of just sitting there, listening to her breathing, he relaxed and let his hand fit over hers. She was warm, and soft... so soft, that it almost like she was actually there in front of him.

Closing his eyes, he pictured her closing her hand on his, and smiling up at him.

" I'll be fine ichigo. So don't you worry about me. I'll be back by your side in no time!" She would say with a smile, in that voice that's like a refreshing balm to his chapped mood. No matter what mood he was in, she could always brighten his mood with the sunlight that constantly surrounds her.

Thinking this, he realized just how much he missed her company. Not just that, but he missed her presence...

And then ichigo, a man who hasn't cried since his mother died as a child, felt a tear slide down his cheek, and he hastily wiped it away, and made sure no one was watching.

Then, feeling defeated, he sunk down, and put his forehead on hers, resting there for a little before he lifted his head a little bit to look at her face.

"Oh, orihime. You better be okay. I'll find a way I swear it. I will get you back, even if I have to travel to the depths of hell to do so. Just please, stay strong for just a little bit more..." ichigo whispered to the beautiful but corpse like girl.

"You have to..." ichigo said adjusting his face, leaning towards her lips.

"Because..." he said, less than an inch from her lips. He could feel her warm breath tickle him.

"I... love..." he started to say, then was cut off.

"Ichigo!" Rukia said, outside the door, then jerked it open and paused. Then she took a breath and continued.

"Hes- aizen-is here" she sputtered, then there was a loud noise and ichigo jumped to his feet. Rukia wasted no time in chucking con at ichigo, like a ritual, and ichigo fished the capsule out of the choking teddy bear and transformed into a soul reaper.

They dashed out to the front of urahara's shop, where no one else but the great lord aizen stood, floating up fifteen feet in the air in front of the shop.

"Ahh, if it isn't the great hero substitute soul reaper, ichigo kurosaki. Come to join us?" He said in that all calm, all superior voice that ichigo hated so much.

"Why the hell are you here, you're unwelcome here." Ichigo said, reaching for the hilt of his sword.

"Now, now. No need to draw your weapon, substitute soul reaper. I am not here to fight, just to convey a message." Aizen said with a smirk

"No way. I'm not letting you leave until I beat the snot out of you, bastard!" Ichigo growled and drew his sword.

"Let's just listen to what he has to say ichigo." Kisuke said in all seriousness.

"I do believe that to be a correct judgement on your part. Oh by the way, how has your exile to the human world been so far? Its a shame that you came out to be the guilty one, from that incident," aizen taunted.

However, kisuke was master at maintaining his cool and controlling hid temper.

"Its been quite well actually. I really rather enjoy the company of the humans. Skip the talk, suske. I know that you did not come here to shoot the breeze. Why has your presence befallen us?" Kisuke said.

"Well, I was hoping to see how my former subordinate was doing, but I suppose. Well, if you insist that we skip formalities, I'll just tell you why I'm here. Its about the girl. I figure you plan to save her, no?" Aizen said and grinned at ichigos sudden increase in chargin.

"You bastard! What have you done to orihime!" Ichigo yelled, ready to pounce on aizen.

"My, my. Looks like someone has a bad temper. You really should watch who you call a bastard. You never know, maybe I could just end poor, sweet inoue's life right now." Aizen said, still giving a cocky grin, but his voice had a terrifying note to it.

"Ichigo, if you don't calm down, I will be forced to restrain you." Yoruichi said, with a threat as shard as a razor blade in her words.

"So aizen. What do you want with the girl?" Kisuke said, as Yoruichi was scolding ichigo.

"I have no need whatsoever of the girl. She is just nearly insurance." Aizen said, then suddenly swooped down to kisuke.

"You see, I have a predicament. You should no more than anyone that I have the Hōgyoku, but I don't know how to access its powers." Aizen tells kisuke.

Kisuke didn't look surprised at all. No one moved as the two conversed, almost finding themselves unable to interrupt.

" ahh, I had my suspicions that the Hōgyoku was behind all this." Kisuke said, then crossed his arms. "So I'm guessing you want a trade."

"That is correct. Nice and simple. And as a courtesy, I have even brought her along with me to ensure her safety." Aizen said pulling out a little charm.

"Low and behold, it was a mirror, after all." Yoruichi said, surprisingly calm, still keeping a threatening hold on ichigos arm, twisting it behind his back so he couldn't attack aizen.

"Yes. This is a special charm I "borrowed" from the research and development department in the thirteen court-guard squads. Seems security has been getting worse lately." Aizen said with some snark and looked questioningly at kisuke. " so what will it be, kisuke urahara?"

Everyone held their breath as kisuke pondered. Ichigo started to say something, but was silenced by Yoruichi. Finally, after what seemed like forever to everyone, he finally answered.

"Fine, I accept." He said.


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNING: MIDWAY THROUGH THIS CHAPER THERE IS SOME LEMON, SO JUST SKIP IT IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ IT. thanks :) sorry its been a while. I've been really busy. Remember to review and favorite, it makes my day whenever you do! Have fun with this part :)**

Orihime walked a couple steps behind ichigo, heart beating irratically, her skin beginning to become clammy. She was terrified.

She had come on the walk knowing full well what's likely to happen, but rushed into it without hesitation. But now she was feeling the tension and anxiety she ignored.

"So what is this all about?" The false ichigo said, almost scaring her out of her skin.

"Uh...umm... well, you see, I just needed to get some fresh air-" orihime said and ichigo stopped and turned suddenly, making orihime slam into him.

"Umph!" She grunted, and looked up at ichigo, looming above her. Again, she tried to see the differences, something to remind her that this wasn't the ichigo she knew.

"What's the matter? Why're you shaking?" Ichigo said with a slight taunt in his voice, and stepped forward. Orihime gasped and stepped a few steps back. He grinned and started to walk forward. She kept walking backward, afraid to lose eye contact.

"What's the matter? Are you scared? Why would you be scared of me? Huh, my little, sweet, orihime?" He slauntered towards her, with a devilish grin on his face.

"N-no I'm, I'm not scared." She said, still walking backward.

"Oh? Then tell me, what's that dagger behind your back for, then?" Ichigo said and picked up his pace.

Orihime also picked up her pace, and slammed her back against a wall. She quivered as he neared, and them suddenly, there he was, him pinning her body against the wall with his, his face right in hers with his halo of orange hair.

"S-stop it ichigo!" She said, struggling against him, but it was in vain. He was so close she could see the beeds of sweat on his skin.

"So, were you planning on fighting me?" He said face a few mere centimeters from her own. She could taste his breath. " what's stopping you? Huh?"

She turned her face to the side, to avoid any contact with any more of his body parts, like his lips. She really couldn't fall under the spell he clearly was trying to put her under.

His very attractive body was close to her in all the right places, and she was finding it harder and harder to remember this wasn't her ichigo.

"What's the matter? Don't you love me? Don't you want me?" He said in a mocking tone. "Come on, you wanted me a few nights ago. What happened?" He said, putting his hot breath on her neck, kissing her.

She desperately looked around for anyone near by, but the area around the little alley she was in was eerily sparse.

"Ichigo, why? Why are you doing this? This isn't like you!" Orihime said, and tried to push him away but her efforts were useless against his rock hard muscle.

"Haha, you and I both know why. Care to enlighten me again why were out here my sweet? Or should I force you to?" He pushed a little harder and she felt one of her ribs painfully crack. She screamed in pain, and tried not to cry hysterically.

He laughed when he set her jaw in defiance. Whenever she seemed to be defiant with this fake, its like it exited him even more.

"Oh, god. You're so fucking hot when you're angry... it makes me want to piss you off even more. I wonder if I did this..." he said, and slipped his hand up her skirt.

He didn't get in her panties, just barely touched her enough for her to squirm violently to get out of his iron like hold on her.

"S-STOP!" She yelled, feeling violated in the worst ways. Seeing that this upset her, he did it again, longer this time, smiling when she screamed out in rage and desperation.

She couldn't believe it. She hated him. Not ichigo, but the arrancar that was controlling him.

"Good riddance, you sure do know how to put up a fight. Just makes me want to do worse things to you!" He said, grinning an evil smile. "Come on, its me, Ichigo, why are you scared?" He said, in a mock concerned voice.

"But, you're not ichigo!" She shouted, still struggling even though she was exhausted.

"Ooh, boy! She finally admits to it! You truly are amazing, just like the real ichigo's thoughts of you suggest. Tell me how does it feel? Haven't you wanted him to touch you like this?," he said, and put his fingers up her skirt again, and hardened his grip, she she couldn't even move.

" haven't you wanted him to do this," he said, then moved his hand up her shirt and squeezed her breast. " , or this?" He said, and grabbed her waist. She saw the chance to escape when he released his grip on her to hold her, but then she froze when she heard him say, "orihime, I love you," and kissed her, right on her mouth.

She was so shocked, she was frozen still. For a second, she forgot that this wasn't ichigo, for the sound of his voice was so full of emotion and affection, it sounded just like him when he said those words, those three words...

She lost all control of her logic and common sense, shutting the door to her brain and just, felt.

His mouth moved on hers with expertise that compelled her to kiss him back in the same way. He shifted his body, to get in a even deeper kiss, and she totally lost herself in him,

This feels so good, she thought. He feels so good...

She got so into the kiss, that she wanted more of him. The desire burned like molten lava spilling out of a volcano, a fire like desire burning in her veins, sweeping over her skin everywhere he touched her.

She took one hand and guided his hand up her skirt, while she gripped his hand with the other. She moaned against his mouth when his hand slipped past her panties and right into her already wet womanhood.

She had never been touched this way by anyone, nor has she ever wanted to, but right then, she wanted more and more, wanted him to do more naughty things to her.

He started out playing with her clit, teasing her. She practically screamed when he stuck a finger in her, and he moaned a bit himself.

She had something nagging at her mind, something she felt like she was forgetting. But soon the pleasure made her completely forget whatever it was she was thinking about.

"Oh god, please, please, ichigo!" She yelled, and he smiled against her mouth as they kissed.

He slowly drug her into a sitting position on the floor, and then put his head between her legs. At first, she thought that the pleasure that his fingers couldn't get any better, but was clearly mistaken as soon as his tongue barely breached her womanly lips.

"Oh, GOD!" Orihime yelled, and pulled his head closer, wanting him to keep going. He did as she wanted, and the pleasure became unbearable, and she knew she was right about to reach her climax.

Right when she felt she was right about to explode, he stopped, and she nearly cried out at the loss of the pleasurable contact.

"How does this feel?" He spoke for the first time, and his voice was like a bucket of ice in the face. She went from zero to a hundred, in less than a second, realizing what had happened. She had somehow slipped under his spell, and for that, she was sputtering mad

"You-you-you vile, inhumane, evil little!" She yelled, and kicked him in his torso with all the force she had in her body.

This came unexpectedly, and he flew across the alley, hitting the other wall, and growled.

"You filthy bitch, you think that you can fight me?" He said effortlessly getting up to his feet. "You cannot deny it. You loved it, and you know it." He said, swiping at his bloody lip.

"No I did not! You-you put some kind of trance on me. I didn't know what I was doing!" She yelled, embarassed, wanting to just curl up in a ball and disappear.

"Your voice can lie, but your body cannot." He said, and started to walk forward. She squeezed her eyes shut and he slammed his palm on the wall right by her ear.

"Alright. I'm done playing these games. It was fun, but now I'm getting tired of playing with my prey." He said, in all seriousness.

"What do you mean?" She said, slightly horrified.

"What does that mean? Well, let me show you." Ichigo said, and then put his hand up to his face, as if he was grabbing for something. Then, he tore of his face, or rather his mask, and the rest of the disguise faded away.

Now, he was once again the arrancar she saw before, only this time, his smile was more crazed.

"Lord aizen told me not to kill you, if it can be helped. Looks like it can't." He said, and drew his sword. She coward against the wall as he raised his sword.

"Time to say good-bye." He said, and swung his sword. She had no time to throw up a protective shield.

"ICHIIIIGOOOO!" She screamed, and in a moment of pure desperation, she dove out of the way, and he swung at he again, this time hitting the sidewalk right beside her head.

"Oh, come on. You really think you can run? Go ahead. See how far you can get." He said, and she didn't even pause, just shot up and smashed into a very pissed off looking ichigo in his bonkai.

"Grimmjow, you son of a bitch. I don't know what you did to orihime, but now you're going to pay with your life." Ichigo growled at the espada, and looked down and a very dirty, crying, and upset orihime.

"I-is it really you?" She said, tenatively reaching up to touch his face, then stopped.

"Yes orihime, it is me. But we can have a joyful reunion later. Right now I need you to get behind me, somewhere safe.

She nodded and dashed behind a pile of trash, and looked on nervously.

Ichigo and the arrrancar exchanged blows for a while, no one managing to maintain the upper hand for too long.

"Well, my my. You managed to hold your own pretty well against an arrancar, orihime. But no need to fear, you're not alone anymore." A very familiar voice spoke, and she whirrled around to see kisuke and Yoruichi.

"Kisuke?" She said

Stay tuned for next chapter :)


	9. Chapter 9

"Where's everyone else? How did you know where I was?" Orihime said as kisuke, Yoruichi, and her ran away from ichigo's fight to go find safety.

"Well, orihime, see, what you've been living in, walking around in, what you've seen around you, this is almost like a paradox conciousness, except we're inside a mirror right now." Kisuke said, and caught orihime as she stumbled in shock.

"What? I-i don't understand. We're in a mirror? But how?" She said, recovering from stumbling.

"Look, we'll explain it in a little while. An all out war is breaking out as a distraction, we need to find the mirror." Yoruichi said, on the opposite side on kisuke.

"But I thought we were in a mirror?" She said, confused.

"We are, but were more like a reflection. Ever put a mirror up to the sun and watch the light reflect off of it? Its the same concept, although there are some differences kisuke and I still haven't figured out. But that's no matter," Yoruichi paused, picking oirihime up to jump onto a rooftop.

"What are you doing?" Orihime said, alarmed by the sudden movement.

"Its faster this way. We have to hurry, before they find where we are. Anyway, since were like a reflection, if we shatter the mirror,"

"Then the reflection stops." Kisuke finished for Yoruichi.

"Oh, I see. But why am I here?" Orihime asked.

"You were bait for aizen. He used you to get information. I'm surprised he offered a fair trade, and actually stayed true to his word." Kisuke said, who was running right behind yoruichi.

"Look! There it is!" Yoruichi shouted, and dashed forward even faster.

Soon, Yoruichi set orihime on her feet, and they all gazed upon a floating mirror, with an orangish hue surrounding it.

"Just as I thought. A barrier." Yoruichi said.

"Wait, this barrier... it feels similar to my shun shun rikka that I use as a shield. Maybe I can..." orihime stepped up to the barrier, and closed her eyes, getting a feel for its power. Putting a finger delicately to the wall of the barrier, she willed it to pass through, and suddenly, her hand passed through, then her whole body.

"Good job orihime. Now, destroy the mirror, ad we can all go back home safe." Kisuke said, and right on the tail of his voice came a monotone "foolish girl" and then a flash of white. Suddenly orihime was face to face with startling jade green eyes, and white skin.

"My, my. Such incompetence. Your little friends are all suffering. All because they're inferior. Cant you humans learn to understand you're place? You're just lowly beings who deserve to be wiped clean of this earth." A deep voice spoke, and then the arrancar approached orihime.

She stumbled back, looking at his frightening familiarity.

"You-you. I've seen you before." She said, in a terrified voice. Both Yoruichi and kisuke jumped forward to try to help her, but were thrown back by force of the barrier.

"Ahh, yes. You're that human with the strange powers. I do believe I almost killed that orange headed friend of yours. Too bad he's not here so I can put and end to his miserable life." He said.

"I don't understand. I thought the deal had already been made between them and aizen. So why is this nightmare still allowed to continue?" She cried, and inched backwards as he slowly came toward her, step by step.

"For you and your friends, it ends here. But unfortunately, it ends in death." He said, and raised his hands, as if to strike her. A green flow of power surged from his hand, like a whip, and he cracked it down hard. She tried to jump out of the way, but it caught her on her ankle, causing her to fall on her injured ribs.

"AHH!" She screamed out in pain. Where the green whip touched her, the skin bubbled up with gross goo and puss.

"Its pointless trying to get away. You're just dragging out your death." His emotionless voice said, as he cracked at her again. But then, she realized something, something she could do to save herself and everyone else.

She dove out of the way again, this time earning a strike on her back. Her vision went white for a minute, and when she came to he was walking toward her collapsed body.

She got up, much to her pain, and started to limp toward the mirror.

"Its pointless, human. There's no way you're gonna destroy that mirror." He said, cracking the green whip at her one last time.

She was just a foot away from the mirror, and she yelled "no, but you can!" and as his whip came toward her at a violent speed, she dodged at the last possible moment, escaping most of the hit.

She heard a loud cracking noise as the mirror took the brunt of the hit. Everything went bright, then dark, as that world started to disappear. Right before everything was completely gone, she just barely heard the arrancar say, smart move human. I'll get you back for that. Then, she was sucked back into the real world.

Orihime and her friends slowly gained conciousness. Orihime was disoriented, and at first she had no clue where she was or why. But upon looking at her friends gaining conciousness and looking at her with wide relieved eyes, it all came back to her.

The first one to approach her was rukia, who grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She sad and stepped back. Orihime sat there, kind of dazed, as she looked at everyones faces, for signs of any damages from their fights with the arrancars. Then she realized it was all just an allusion, their bodies were never there in the first place.

After looking at every ones face, she stood up, confused.

"Wait, where's ichigo?" She said feeling deja vu sweep across her mind.

"Look behind you, you idiot." She heard his ever familiar voice say the words she had heard him speak what felt like an eternity ago. She whirrled around and was pulled into a very tight embrace.

"Don't you ever do that again, you here me?" He said, one hand squeezing around her waist, the other tangled in her hair.

At first, she was terrified, remembering that arrancar who disguised himself as ichigo. But then, she realized, this ichigo sounded too lively, had too much emotion to be that heartless being from before. It felt like a dream following a nightmare.

Being in his arms, hearing his voice, it was too good to be real, she thought and she desperately looked up into his eyes, wanting to get lost in him.

"I swear ichigo, I will never leave your side." She said as a tear leaked from her eyes and slipped down her cheek.

"Thank god, because orihime, i will never leave yours either, because i love you. "he said, and planted a wet kiss right on her lips, and she felt a tear of his own fall upon her cheek. She sat there for a second, frozen still at his sudden intimate act, but then she relaxed into his embrace.

I love you too ichigo, orihime thought, and kissed him back.

**and That concludes my story. Its kinda sad finishing up, but alas, nothing really lasts forever. But I hope you liked it. Let me know what anime I should do next, and don't forget to favorite and review! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it :)**


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